Should you make friends at workplace?

Nidhi Gupta

Nov 13, 2017 16:23 IST

Should you make friends at workplace?

A survey says that a friendly workplace saves itself from the added cost of employee turnover and absenteeism. Another survey report released by Gallop says that “employees who have a close friend at work or have a good bonding with their manager are 2.5 times more likely to be satisfied with their jobs.” These results speak about relevance of having a genuine friend at workplace. It enhances job satisfaction and alongside you turn up for work willingly.

So here are a few finding on should you make a friend at workplace or not. Take a look at these finding and judge for yourself if making friend at workplace is worth it or not:

1. Friendship can actually produce better results

In a brainstorming session, when the organisation gave a task to ideate an advertisement for the launch of a product which was new in the market, three teams comprising of 5 people each was given this task. Team 2 came up with the best idea within a span of 1 day. Later it was revealed that the members of team 2 shared a great bonding and were friends at workplace. Even when they had difference of opinion, they did not devalue the idea of other; in fact they took into consideration the idea and opinion of each member and came up with a unique concept that was liked by all.

When you develop an informal bonding, you start respecting the ideas and opinions of others. It spreads workplace harmony and produces better results.

2. Friends coordinate tasks more effectively

When you have friends at work, life is easier. You are up for any challenge and have the courage to achieve the impossible. In fact when you share a good bonding at workplace with your teammates, it becomes easy to achieve targets. When you are on an off, your teammates can support you and vice versa. You will never feel weak and struggling for space with friends by your side. Moreover, your friend at work will always help you achieve targets smartly when they share their experience to handle the tasks at hand. When asked by the employees working in the IT industry about the importance of making friends at work, they said “it’s easier to manage work, because they save you from the unwanted criticism from the manager. We don’t have to worry about the comprehensive targets; we cover up the targets by helping each other.”

3. It becomes easy to socialize at work

When there are parties in the office, you have a huge group to hang out with. You don’t have to sit along in the corner with snacks on your plate and watch others enjoy the party chit chatting. With office colleagues cum friends, you can make the most of the moment and enjoy the social gathering with full vigour.

In the Diwali party organised by an advertising firm, it was seen that employees who had a group of friends readily gave their names in the rangoli making competition, than those worked in isolation in their teams. The synergic effect of working with teams brings better results and socialising becomes easy too.

4. Friends keep mood upbeat even during adversity at work

Whether you get a poor increment at work or no appraisal, friends at workplace will be in a position to empathise with you because all of you are sailing in the same boat. The organisation deals with every employee in more or less same manner. If you are being pointed out to take fewer breaks during tea and lunch hours, then your friends can understand the story because it is them with whom you spend your time loitering in the campus. Basically, be it any adversity in the office, you can are in a situation to share your part of the story and they will listen with equal eagerness. Besides, they might offer a solution to clear you mess in the office.

5. Friends are your support mechanism at work

Friends at work are always a treat to your day. Whether you had a fight at home or in the office with your manager, you can always go and talk to them and share your sob story. When your manager has something unexpected to offer you during a happy-go-lucky day, a friend at workplace will always stand in your support and make you feel better. Take for instance the example shown below, wherein the manager is taking to his junior:

Friends are a stress buster and will help you get over the bad phase of the day.

If you also have friends at workplace, share with us the ways in which they make your life better at the office. How have they been instrumental in keeping you sane in adjusting with the office environment? Share your story with us in the comments section below!

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